Creating Harmonious Work Environments
Insights for Happy & Productive Employees
It’s no secret that the world of work has changed significantly in recent years and it has become imperative for small business owners to recognize the value today’s employees put on work life balance. Investing in team members needs to be a budget line item if it isn’t already there. This becomes even more essential in the interior design industry due to the very nature of creative humans.
The ultimate goal as interior designers is to create beautiful spaces that make dreams a reality for clients. This means ensuring harmonious work environments that inspire and empower our teams which in turn leads to innovation and productivity. Reflect on these two questions for a minute -
Can you identify the steps you are taking to ensure that each and every team member is working at their optimum level and therefore outputting superior work for clients?
Could you walk away from your design firm tomorrow and be confident that the quality of work will remain as if you were behind the scenes orchestrating it all?
Try to keep two questions at the back of your mind in everything you do regarding your business. They should be the foundation of the approach taken with team members in anything you choose to implement in your interior design firm. Let’s look at a few tips and tricks you can introduce immediately at minimal or no cost to build a healthy work environment for your interior design business.
Effective Communication
Strong communication is the foundation of any successful team. If you struggle with communication as an individual the first step is finding the tools to help you improve your communication skills so that as a leader this translates in your day-to-day interactions with employees. Communication comes in many forms and three easy yet important areas of communication within a team are regular individual check-ins, weekly team meetings and brainstorming sessions. You may already be doing these check-ins but are they weekly regardless of the level of work? Are they on the calendar and treated with the same level of respect as a client meeting. Follow through on the commitment, relax into it and use the time to check-in even if it means a shortened meeting time with not a whole lot being discussed. Be present, remove all distractions and talk to your team, about anything. You’ll be surprised how valuable these quick check-ins or “stand-ups” as they are commonly known, are to the overall team. When employees know you value hearing from them you cultivate a culture of transparency, trust and inclusivity which in turn impacts the level of output.
Foster Creativity and Inspiration
Creativity is at the heart of interior design. To nurture it, it’s imperative to create workspaces that inspire imagination. Provide flexible work areas, comfortable furniture, and ample natural light. Add plants and fresh flowers to incorporate nature and promote a sense of calm and connection with the environment. Encourage employees to personalize their work spaces, allowing them to surround themselves with objects and artwork that inspire their creativity. Is this an area that you’ve potentially taken for granted? Don’t assume your team understands they can make their work area their own particularly in today’s world of hybrid jobs. It’s easy to get busy with the day-to-day and rush to focus on client work but these subtle changes are essential to a happy, comfortable work atmosphere. Personalization of work areas also demonstrates to clients that your studio is a welcoming, collaborative environment and puts them at ease.
Promote Work-Life Balance
Today’s employees prioritize a healthy work-life balance as they recognize how vital it is for long-term productivity and work satisfaction. It may be hard to conceive but we are seeing more and more candidates turn down jobs if it doesn’t suit their personal needs outside of work. We encourage you to offer flexible working arrangements, when possible, to accommodate personal needs. Creative individuals should be offered the freedom to work during their peak productivity periods which results in higher quality output. Is it really necessary to have everyone on the team working at the exact same times? Ensure there is crossover for collaborative efforts but allow flexibility with daily start and end times as long as the agreed weekly hours are met, and projects are progressing. Offer wellness programs, such as yoga or meditation sessions or gym membership, to support the mental and physical well-being of your team. By prioritizing work-life balance, you foster a positive environment that promotes overall happiness and reduces burnout.
Encourage Collaboration and Team Building
Interior design projects often require collaboration among various stakeholders. This does not necessarily come naturally with creative personalities and so it’s important to really communicate the value you as the team leader put on working together. This can be done by organizing regular team-building activities, both within and outside of work. This does not need to look like the trust exercises of the 1980’s but can be a regular after work happy hour, monthly potluck lunch or Friday afternoon games. Create a book club and host monthly book club coffee mornings or after work cocktails to discuss. These activities naturally foster trust and relationship building.
Follow Google, Patagonia and 3M’s leads by offering an afternoon a week for employees to work on a passion project of their own. Perhaps they have been itching to create or practice a particular approach to design but just haven’t had the time to work on it. Give them the time. Once this is an established policy within the firm you’ll start to see collaboration naturally develop as they reach out to one another for input. Be sure to advocate for employees sharing their expertise and working together on projects, client related or not. This in turn promotes a sense of camaraderie and mutual support. By encouraging collaboration, you create a work environment that values teamwork, problem-solving, and collective success.
Provide Opportunity for Growth
Investing in professional development opportunities for your team members demonstrates your commitment to their growth which in turn leads to their commitment to your business. Offer training workshops, conferences, and industry events to keep them updated on the latest trends and techniques. Provide mentorship programs, where experienced designers can guide and inspire junior staff. By investing in their development, you empower your team members to reach their full potential and contribute to the success of your business. Although today’s average employee is more likely to change jobs every few years, investing in professional development encourages them to stay longer and also provides for easy internal promotion which ultimately cuts down on cost to the company.
Celebrate and Recognize
Recognize the accomplishments of your team members and celebrate milestones within the company. Publicly acknowledge their hard work and contributions to projects. Do you have a system for giving regular feedback? Are performance evaluations part of your HR process? Providing constructive criticism and recognizing areas of improvement are essential for growth as individuals. We all need it on some level. You may only be a two person team right now but that feedback is still just as important as if you were a 15 person firm. A culture of recognition and appreciation boosts morale, motivation, and a sense of pride in one's work. Giving constructive feedback doesn’t come easily to all of us so working with an HR specialist or business operations consultant should be considered to ensure your team and ultimately your work isn’t impacted.
Building a better work environment within an interior design business is crucial for maximizing creativity, productivity, and employee satisfaction. By embracing open communication, fostering creativity, promoting work-life balance, encouraging collaboration, providing growth opportunities, and celebrating achievements, you create a positive and empowering atmosphere for your team. As interior design professionals, we should aim to create spaces that not only inspire our clients but also nurture the talents and well-being of our own team.
19th&CO work with interior designer firms of all sizes to promote healthy and happy work environments, establish team culture and implement human resource processes that support business goals.
